Mercury in the Australian Environment

School of Geography and Environmental Science

Monash University

•  • Mercury in the Australian Environment:• A preliminary investigation of biomatter and soils.• • D. Packham, N Tapper, D. Griepsma, J. Hellings, H. Friedle and S.

Burns•  • School of Geography and Environmental Science, Monash

University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia• Australian Sustainable Industry Research Centre, Churchill, Victoria,

Australia.• School of Applied Science, Monash University, Churchill, Victoria,

Australia.• National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA.

Sample locations

Walker

Area

Average

Hg in

Biomatter

ppb

Average fuel

concentration.

To/km2

Area.

Km2

Million

Burn

interval

years

Hg emitted

Tonne/year

1. 212 175 0.610 3 7.63

2 212 300 36 1.5 15.1

3 212 600 0.926 1.5 8.5

4 212 468 0.117 1.5 9.9

5 52 225 1.17 15 0.91

6 230 275 0.29 10 1.83

7 195 525 0.36 12.5 2.9

8 78 950 0.15 6.5 1.7

9 83 1150 0.147 6.5 2.2

10 83 160 .019 10 0.3

11 80 1150 0.061 6.5 8.6

12 80 1180 .117 5 2.2

13 290 250 3.22 30 7.8

Total 69.6 tonnes

per year

Table 1. Calculation of estimated annual mercury emission (Tonnes) from biomatter burning in Australia [1].

[1] The full data set is available at www. etc